The Nigerian presidency has expressed optimism that President Bola Tinubu will soon meet with his American counterpart, Donald Trump, to further strengthen bilateral relations between both countries.
The Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Media and Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, stated this on Monday.
He expressed the hope during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time.
“I said Tinubu and Trump will hopefully meet, either at the White House or the State House.
“It could happen at any time. In diplomacy, protocol is key. When you’re building something, it must be preserved and protected.
“We will not be pressured into revealing the stage we are at in this discussion because in diplomacy there must be respect for protocol,” Bwala said.
His comments come amid Trump’s designation of Nigeria as a country of particular concern and threats of military operation.
The assurance follows earlier remarks made by Bwala in a statement issued on Saturday, November 1, 2025, in which he emphasised that both leaders share a common vision in combating terrorism and protecting humanity from violent extremism.
“Both President @officialABAT and President @realDonaldTrump have shared interest in the fight against insurgency and all forms of terrorism against humanity,” Bwala had said.
He noted that the Trump administration had extended significant support to Nigeria’s security efforts, which President Tinubu has effectively built upon.
“President Trump has assisted Nigeria a lot by authorising the sale of arms to Nigeria and President Tinubu has adequately utilised the opportunity in the fight against terrorism for which we have massive results to show for it,” the statement added.
Bwala further stated that any perceived differences between the two leaders on the nature of terrorist targets in Nigeria would be addressed during their upcoming engagement.
“As for the differences as to whether terrorists in Nigeria target only Christians or in fact all faiths and no faiths, the differences if they exist would be discussed and resolved by the two leaders when they meet in the coming days, either in the State House or White House,” he said.
His comments came shortly after President Tinubu reaffirmed Nigeria’s constitutional commitment to religious freedom and tolerance.
“Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty,” Tinubu said.
The President also stressed that his administration remains engaged with both Christian and Muslim leaders in addressing national security challenges.
“Since 2023, our administration has maintained an open and active engagement with Christian and Muslim leaders alike and continues to address security challenges which affect citizens across faiths and regions,” he stated.
Tinubu dismissed what he described as a mischaracterisation of Nigeria’s religious landscape by external observers, saying such claims fail to reflect the country’s diversity and government’s sustained efforts to foster peace.
“The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality, nor does it take into consideration the consistent and sincere efforts of the government to safeguard freedom of religion and beliefs for all Nigerians,” the President declared.
He further stressed that religious tolerance remains central to Nigeria’s identity, insisting that his government neither supports nor condones persecution based on faith.
Tinubu was previously billed to travel to the United States to meet with Vice President JD Vance, but the trip was postponed, with the Nigerian leader expected to prioritise a meeting with Trump, who is due to attend the G20 summit in South Africa.
